Disclaimer: Kairan Akiyama is not the owner YGO, that title belongs to Kazuki Takahashi (lucky bastard). Arigatou-hamster to Raven-san for beta-ing.
"…" – talking
italics – thoughts
… – emphasized
/…/ – hikari to yami
/italics/ – yami to hikari
-italics- – song lyrics (all songs are from "Fallen" CD by Evanescence)
"..." – flashback (Chap. 7 and 8)
Enjoy the ride.
If I could say "I love You"
CHAPTER ONE: Providence
SETO
"Yuug, come on, we're gonna be late to class," Jou said, trying to get his best friend's attention.
"You're worried about being late to class?" Yuugi asked, smiling a little. "This is new… what's brought on this sudden interest in education?"
"My old man," Jou grumbled, making a fist and a shadow crossing his face for a second. "He says if I don't shape up, he's kicking me out."
"You know you could live with me and Grandpa if he ever did kick you out, Jou," Yuugi replied.
"I know, but see," Jou began. "This is more of a pride thing. I wanna shut him up for a while." Jou grinned his trademark grin. "And the only way to do that is to study and behave."
I saw my cue. "Like a good puppy," I said smoothly, crossing in front of both of them. I usually focused my attention on Yuugi, but Jou was more… attractive. "Putting your tail between your legs so soon? And class hasn't even started yet." I chuckled softly as I strode ahead of them, reaching my desk and people watching.
I spotted the latest male model wannabe, Ryuuji Otogi. He was easy on the eyes; slightly tanned skin, long black hair in a ponytail and mesmerizing emerald eyes, but he wasn't my puppy. My puppy? I shook that thought away, looking to Otogi's right. The quiet British kid, Ryou Bakura; another pretty face. He had somewhat pale skin, silver white hair and chocolate brown eyes; an innocent teddy bear. I snorted; it's always the quiet ones you have to look out for. Ahead of Ryou was Yuugi's only girl friend, Anzu Mazaki. I snorted again, she's such a bitch, always babbling about "friendship this" and "togetherness that"; it's sickening. She had looks, though, you couldn't deny that: peach skin, light brown hair and sky blue eyes. Hiroto Honda sat on her left, his obscene haircut that could stab someone if given enough force. He was rather ordinary looking: lightly tanned skin, brown hair and brown eyes; boring. Katsuya Jonouchi sat ahead of Honda and was, in my opinion, a better show to watch. Wait; where did that come from? But I couldn't really help it; Jou was special, to an extent. Lightly tanned skin, far better shine than Honda's, somewhat unruly golden locks and honey brown eyes; Jou was a masterpiece. Not saying that Yuugi himself wasn't a piece of work; whatever high power created him must've been on a high of some kind: he was somewhat pale like Ryou, but his hair was a complete abstract thought: it looked like a hand in the high-five position or one of those old-fashioned Chinese fans, spreading out like a peacock's tail with just as many colors: the outer boundary was magenta, the rest black and his bangs were a sunlight yellow, and magenta eyes wide like Mokuba's dark blue eyes. I was surrounded.
Jou got my attention; he was talking again, no doubt bragging about something or other. "And POW, Kaiba was out cold!"
Well, that had to stop. I shifted in my seat, reaching inside my desk and bringing out my latest reading exploit. "Even in your dreams, you couldn't take me down, Puppy," I said like an aside, but loud enough for them to hear. I smirked inwardly when Jou's face got the flustered red he always turns when I talk to him. Here he comes, trying to make himself feel important.
Jou sauntered over to my desk and slammed his hands upon it, rattling it. "Listen, Kaiba," Jou began, his voice a little louder than it should be. "No one was even talkin' to ya, so just mind your own business!"
"No, but you were talking about me, and it's very rude to talk about your master," I replied, making sure not to look up at him, I might actually get him angry.
Jou made a quiet feral sound and slumped back to his desk, grumbling in that wonderful New York accent of his. Wonderful? I know it's unique, but "wonderful"?
"Just leave it alone, Jou," Yuugi said trying to comfort him.
"You're right, Yuug," Jou replied, putting his hands behind his back. "He's not worth."
Not worth it? That couldn't go unchecked. Before I could do anything about the insult, the teacher came in; another newbie. "Class, your assignments on the Arthurian legends will be due next week, and I know how you love to pick you own partners, but I'm doing it for you!"
The class groaned; murmurs of "Dammit" and "Not again" circling around the room. Personally, as long as I didn't get Anzu, it wouldn't be so bad.
"Okay," Sensei said, regaining the class's attention. "Let's see…" He looked through two folders simultaneously. "Yuugi Mutou, you'll be paired with Ryou Bakura, and you'll be researching King Arthur; Katsuya Jonouchi and Seto Kaiba, you two will research Merlin..."
Jou groaned loudly from his desk. "Seto Kaiba?" he moaned. "Just my luck."
My thoughts exactly, Puppy; just my luck.
-x-
JOU
Fate is just screwing me today, I can feel it. I sat my desk, my head in my hands. "This isn't fair, Yuug," I whisper over to him. "First my old man gets on my case about my grades, and now I have to work with Kaiba." I sighed loudly. "Fate is just screwing me today, you know that?"
"Well, look at the bright side, Jou," Yuugi said. "At least Kaiba has to work with you too. Maybe you two might get along."
"Feh," I snorted, looking over to the bane of my existence. He's one of those pretty boys; lightly tanned skin, mahogany brown hair, dark ice blue eyes; am I drooling?
He saw me looking at him and averted his eyes; was that a slight hint of red on his cheeks? I grinned evilly; this could be fun after all. The bell rang and Kaiba walked over to my desk, holding his suitcase at his side. "My house at six, Puppy," he said coldly. "The faster this is done, the better." He walked away so quickly that I could catch a faint scent of his cologne. It smelled like vanilla and cinnamon.
"Whatever, Kaiba," I said to his back. "Just make sure you have some snacks out when I get there!"
He waved his hand at me, looking he was telling me to shut up, or maybe that he'd have more than snacks out. Where did that come from! "Lunch time, Yuug," I said, trying to get my mind off Kaiba. "Let's get there before the decent food is gone."
-x-
I looked at my watch; 6:15, not too bad. I rang the doorbell and was surprised when it opened so quickly. "Hey, Mokuba," I said smiling. He's not as bad as his brother, so Kaiba must be doing something right with raising this kid. Mokuba had darker skin than Seto did, but just by a little. His hair was long and unruly, a dark bluish black, but his eyes look kinda like Yuugi's only dark blue. "Kaiba home?"
"He's in his study," Mokuba replied, pulling his backpack on his shoulder. "He's gonna be pissed when you get up there, you're late." Mokuba turned to the stairway and shouted, "Seto, I'm going over to Brian's now!" before heading over to the limo. "Just go upstairs, you can't miss his study." Mokuba winked at me then got in the limo, leaving me alone with his big brother.
Oh God, this won't be pretty. I walked up the stairs and tried to figure out which way to go first. Before I even started, I heard muffled music coming from one of the farthest rooms in the left wing, so I headed down there.
-How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numb-
I stopped at the door closest to the end of the hallway, a faint blue glow coming from beneath the door. I leaned against the door, trying to hear better.
-Without a soul
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home-
The door opened suddenly and I fell at his feet in surprise. "Hi, Kaiba," I chuckled, trying to cover my embarrassment.
-Wake me up inside
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run
Before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become-
"You're late, Puppy," he said matter-of-factly. He walked over to his CD player and turned the music off, also canceling out the blue and silver lava lamp. "Sixteen minutes late, unacceptable." He turned his computer on, dropping into his computer chair. He pointed his thumb at his bed and I saw a small bowl with fruit in it. "There's your snack. Let's get to work."
I finally got off the floor and nervously sat on Seto's bed. What's wrong with me, it's not like he's gonna turn his chair around and pounce me.
Seto whirled around so suddenly I was afraid he would pounce me. "Well, what are you waiting for?"
"Hmm?" I made a question noise from behind an apple.
"Pull the other chair over, I'm not doing this alone, Puppy," he explained, pointing to a chair close to the door.
I made a face at him once he faced his computer again and got the chair, sitting it on his left. "So, we have that Merlin guy, right?" I asked, tearing into an orange.
"Yes, that 'Merlin guy'," Seto said, mocking me. He pulled up a website and started reading aloud.
Well, sweet as Seto's voice is, I was too tired and bored to really pay attention. I think I went to sleep.
-x-
SETO
I stopped for a second. What the… He fell asleep. I looked at my watch; it's barely 6:30. I sighed loudly and moved the bowl off my bed and picked up Jou, putting him on my bed. No point in waking up uncomfortable, he'd think I was a bad host. I turned my CD player back on, my lava lamp coming back to life as well.
-Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me
To life-
I pushed one of his blonde strands from his face, getting a better look at him. Jou looks so cute when he's asleep.
-Wake me up inside
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run
Before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become-
I caressed his face gently and breathed in his scent; he smelled like honey. I moved myself from his face and settled beside him. If I woke up first, I'd have something beautiful to look at.
-ring me to life
I've been living a lie...There's nothing inside
Bring me to life-